Math 6H ( Periods 3, 6, & 7)

Least Common Multiple 5-6

Also check out December 4, 2009 posting of LCM!! Here is a review of that lesson...
Let’s look at the nonzero multiples of 8 and 12—listed in order
Multiples of 8: 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72…

Multiples of 12: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, ….

The numbers 24, 48, and 72, ... are called common multiples of 8 and 12. The least of these multiples is 24 and is therefore called the least common multiple.

LCM(8, 12) = 24

To find the LCM of two whole numbers, we can write out lists of multiples of the two numbers.

Or, we can use prime factorization

Lets find LCM(12, 15)

12 = 2²∙3
15 = 3∙5

The LCM will be made up of the greatest power of each factor

LCM will be 2²∙3∙5 = 60
The book has a third option or method
you can check out, if you’d like

Let’s find LCM (54, 60)


54= 2∙3∙3∙3 = 2∙3³
60 = 2∙2∙3∙5 = 2²∙3∙5

The greatest power of 2 that occurs in either prime factorization is 2²
The greatest power of 3 that occurs in either prime factorization is 3³
The greatest power of 5 that occurs in either prime factorization is 5
Therefore, LCM(54,60) is 2²∙3³∙5 = 540


REMEMBER:
The GCF (greatest common factor) is a factor. The GCF of two numbers will be either the smaller of the two or smaller than both

The LCM (least common multiple) is a multiple. The LCM of the two numbers will be the largest of the two or larger than both.